


you can be my whole world, if i can be your satellite

by afishoutofwater (orphan_account)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Smut, a series of oneshots for eremin week so they do vary and i'll try and put genres before each one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-20 22:29:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9518771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/afishoutofwater
Summary: a series of eremin drabbles/oneshots to celebrate eremin season on tumblr.





	1. Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> my tumblr: fish-tales.tumblr.com

The ocean laps at his feet, washing over his toes before retreating, and leaving a trace of salt against his skin. Eren walks along the beach, admiring his solitude as the sun began to set, twinkling as it dipped beyond the horizon. The rays illuminate the oil painting above the teenager, deep navy blue dotted with glittering lights melting into purples, pinks, and oranges. He’d left his bike a few feet behind him along with his tattered trainers and greying socks as he walked along the line between dry, golden and muddy brown, wet sand that swallows his feet when he comes to a stop.  

He raises his arms out, tilting his head back and taking a deep breath. He could taste the fresh salt in the air, feeling it whip through his brunet hair, tickling his skin. He loved moments like this - time to himself to appreciate the beauty of the world around him. He’d been raised in a concrete jungle, the air stale with exhaust fumes and smog, the only blue he could ever see was when he’d crane his neck back to look up at the sky, enclosed within tall buildings. 

His father had moved him away from the city after his mother had died, having spent one long year in a pristine hospital. Eren had been beyond distraught when his mother finally passed but he knew fully well that she wasn’t in as much pain as she had been during the last few months of her short life. She’d dreamt of leaving the city, taking her family away to the countryside where Eren could experience real fresh air, wake up to see mountains in the distance, to live a few minutes from a beautiful beach.  

_I guess_ , Eren muses as he watches the dwindling light of the sun fade, the navy of the night sky beginning to melt further, painting over the beautiful colours of twilight,  _she got her wish_. 

_A few more minutes_ , Eren promises himself, taking a seat in the soft, dry sand. A few more minutes, just until the moon rains down and tells him to  _go home_ ,  _it’s too late to be out_ ,  _you must be tired_.  

“Oh!” A voice squeaks and Eren averts his eyes to the source. He hadn’t realised how far he’d gotten on the beach but he is sitting right beside the next pier, flood barriers dotting along the shore. A boy is sitting upon one of the statues of wood, staring at Eren in bewilderment. “I didn’t think anyone would be here.” 

Eren blinks owlishly, wondering if it’s a trick of the light, but he’s sure the boy’s shirtless, his pale skin running and fading into blue scales and an iridescent green tail. 

_Tail_ _!?_  

“You-!” Eren begins and the boy jumps from the flood guard and Eren is left alone again.  

“Was he a mermaid?” Eren asks himself. He bends down and rolls his jeans up. He then wades into the water, his attempts at keeping his clothes somewhat dry futile as he walks in further, the sea coming up to his waist. “Hello?” He calls out, cupping his hands over his mouth. “Hel _lo_!?” 

The boy pops his head back up, hiding his chin below the inky waters. “Hello,” he mumbles and Eren is startled and falls back, his entire body engulfed by the ocean. “Oh!” The boy squeaks again and takes hold of Eren’s hand and pulls him back up. “Are you okay?” 

Eren coughs and splutters. “Y-you scared me.” 

The boy dips his head lower, his mouth hidden below the water. He glances aside sheepishly before rising out of the water completely and Eren is left breathless. The boy has golden hair, haloed in the silver moonlight and his eyes are as blue as the ocean around them. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.” His voice rings through Eren’s head. When he remains speechless, the boy becomes worried. “Are you okay?” 

“You’re beautiful,” Eren gushes.  

The boy blushes and averts his gaze once more. “Thank you,” he finally says, tucking blond locks behind his ear. “You…” 

“Me?” 

“You’re rather pretty yourself,” the boy blurts out and smiles when Eren’s eyes widen in surprise. “I really shouldn’t be speaking to you.” 

“Why not?” 

“It’s forbidden. My father tells me that humans are dangerous,” the boy informs Eren, his hands stroking the lapping waves around him. “You don’t seem dangerous though.” He looks at Eren cautiously before moving forward a little. His face comes close to Eren’s and the brunet’s breath hitches in his throat. “You seem nice. You seem kind.”  

Eren grins. “I try my best! My mom…” He trails off, his heart aching at the reminder of his mother’s wisdom. The boy’s blue eyes shine with concern and it’s almost like he’s glowing beneath the moonlight. “It doesn’t matter… A-are… Are you a mermaid?” 

The boy takes offence, frowning deeply as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Why are you asking?” 

“Well… You have a tail and…” Eren gestures to the tail hidden beneath the dark waters. 

The boy finally sighs and nods his head. “I guess if you know it’s not too bad… Humans aren’t supposed to know we exist.” 

Eren could understand why. Humans weren’t too kind to the things they couldn’t understand or comprehend and this would be no special case. “What’s your name?” Eren asks. “Mine’s Eren.” 

“Armin…” Armin then stops and bites his lip. “Just Armin.” 

“Just Armin,” Eren grins and outstretches a hand. “Nice to meet you.” 

Armin is about to return the favour, a little confused by Eren’s gesture, before a shiver rips through the other boy violently. “You’re cold… You should get out of the water.” 

“I want to stay,” Eren whines, there’s something about Armin that draws him a little closer. He wants to know more, he wants to know everything about this boy. “I want to stay with you.” 

Armin bites his lip again. “Come tomorrow. I’ll see you again, but don’t tell anyone. So please, go before you get sick.” 

Eren is adamant to stay a little while longer but Armin urges him to leave once more, physically pushing him back to the shore.  

“Alright, alright,” he laments, wading back to the sand. He’s soaked through and he knows his father won’t be very impressed when he traipses through the front door soggy from head to toe. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says, watching as Armin swims away. “Armin.” 


	2. Hug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> armin will always be there when eren needs him the most.
> 
> 401 words
> 
> a/n: contains some angst

Armin’s arms envelop him from behind, pulling him closer as he presses his face into the crook of Eren’s neck as they sat on the blond’s bed wrapped in darkness of night. They had just returned from Eren’s parents funeral, the young boy now left orphaned and alone; no distant family near to take him in and he would’ve ended up in a halfway house hadn’t Armin’s grandfather offered to take him in. Eren shivers in Armin’s touch and doesn’t pull away.  

“It’s going to be okay,” Armin whispers into Eren’s neck. “It’s going to be okay.” 

“It hurts, Armin,” Eren whimpers, but he’s not crying yet. Eren hadn’t cried since the accident, really. But then, Armin supposes, being in the backseat of a car whilst your parents bleed out would make even the strongest person breakdown. “ _Why_?” 

Armin holds him tighter and kisses behind Eren’s ear gently. “I don’t know,” he says softly, pulling a hand away to brush aside Eren’s soft brown hair. Usually when they hold each other like this, Armin plays with Eren’s hair, and marvels as to long it’s been growing, nearly down to his shoulders now, but not as long as Armin’s own blond hair, usually tied up into a messy ponytail. 

Eren’s crying now, his grip on Armin’s arms painful as his nails dig into his boyfriend’s pale skin. “I’m sorry,” he sobs. “I’m sorry.” 

Armin knows Eren’s not speaking to him and he just sits there, holding him whilst Eren’s body shakes as he sobs quietly. Armin knows he doesn’t have a magic wand to wave and make everything okay and Armin knows Eren will be like this for a long time whilst he mourns. Armin knows that Eren needs him now, not to say anything, not to make baseless promises, but to hold him, comfort him. Armin knows Eren needs him to  _be_  there. 

They stay like that until the sun rises, peeking through the blinds in Armin’s bedroom. Eren falls asleep in Armin’s arms at around 5 in the morning but Armin doesn’t sleep until 7. Neither of the teenagers go into school that day, tucked into Armin’s bed by the younger’s grandfather, who leaves a glass of water and aspirin for Eren just in case his crying fit causes him a headache. He closes the door behind him softly, leaving the two to sleep soundly, wrapped up in each other. 


	3. Yin and Yang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they will always be two halves of the same whole
> 
> 330 words
> 
> a/n: i don't quite know what to tag this as but i guess it's a blurb of eren and armin's relationship and how it correlates to the whole yin & yang symbolism. i don't know. it was going to be a poem but i don't do poems so... it's prose instead haha!  
> thanks so much for all the support!

For as long as Eren has known Armin, he’s known they were of two completely different worlds. Armin’s the sun, glowing brilliantly and kind to everyone, raining down pure happiness and joy onto those who knew him. Eren was his moon, beautiful and mysterious, always cautiously watching but never really paid attention to. Alone they are two celestial beings, but together they eclipse one another’s differences. They kiss, they hug, and the Earth around them no longer revolves for all they can see is each other.

Armin always smells like strawberries – his favourite fruit – and almonds. He smells like comfort and love, and Eren can’t get enough of it sometimes. Eren smells like petrol – his dad’s garage – and dirt. He’s the scent of childhood and loneliness and Armin gets lost in its nostalgia so many times.

Armin is the colour of daffodils as they burst to life in the spring, and Eren’s the colour of the autumn leaves, falling gracefully to the ground. Armin’s the picture perfect image of beginning and Eren knows their own beginning is more than just a simple word. It’s the way Armin looks at him and embraces the warmth and the beauty that Eren offers out to him wholly and returns every inch of sentimentality with his own being.

Everyone can see they’re of two different universes because Armin glows like starlight and Eren alights like a red dwarf, anger and jealousy thinly concealed within misused temperament. Eren acts out, he fights, he wins and Armin is there to bandage him, to heal him, when he’s hurt. Eren is sure that Armin’s a fallen star come to the world by Eren’s wishful thinking – he needed someone who wouldn’t judge, someone who would stay and love him and promise him everything would be okay.

Armin does just that, he’s the safety raft of Eren’s turmoil, he’s the net beneath Eren’s turbulent home life and it’s always been that way.

Eren knows they’re of two completely different worlds but somehow he can’t seem to care. They collide when they kiss; they surrender when they embrace. Somehow, someway, being different no longer matters. Two different worlds will always converge into one.


	4. Crossover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which eren is a carefree king who wants to sleep all day and armin is his frantic advisor.
> 
> 576 words
> 
> a/n: crossover into magi's universe where eren is sinbad and armin is jafar

“Stupid king,” Armin mutters to himself as he storms through the spacious halls of Eren’s vast palace. As he passes by the pillars, he can see the town of Shiganshina below him, the palace sitting along the mountain top bordering the kingdom. During the day, the sun beats down on the whitewashed houses and striped tents of market stalls whilst the citizens traverses the roads dressed in thin robes of white and cream to fight off the heat. During the night, the fireflies dot the palace gardens, competing against the twinkling lights of the stars above, and torches alight the town below whilst people celebrate their luck to be living in such a prosperous and fair kingdom. 

Armin had been Eren’s advisor since the kingdom had been established years ago and he had always remained as the king’s right hand man since he had been saved from falling into depravity after being tricked by his own monarchy and government. Armin owed Eren his life and since then, he had loved Eren beyond words.  

Armin reaches Eren’s door quickly and raps his knuckles against the painted wood. He waits for Eren to allow him entry and frowns when he doesn’t hear the king’s voice. 

“Eren!” Armin calls out, knocking again, this time a little louder. “ _Eren_!” 

Still no sound. Armin stands outside the door, bowing politely to the maids who pass by, quizzical looks on their faces. He’s worried. King Eren had always opened himself to assassination attempts. Hell, even Armin had attempted it a few times before he had joined Eren’s growing team. No longer waiting for permission, Armin barges in and sees that the windows are opened to full capacity and all Armin can smell at the snowdrops and sunflowers from the gardens outside. His eyes wander over the flowing linen curtains before falling onto the king’s sleeping form.

 _This stupid king_ , Armin grits his teeth and marches over to his bedside. He’s ready to wake the king when Eren turns over and Armin is struck by his sleeping face, his long brunet hair splayed over his white pillows. To make it worse, Eren’s sleeping robe had also fallen open at his chest, exposing toned muscle and tanned skin. Armin traces Eren’s collarbones with his eyes before falling back onto his youthful face.  _Funny_ , Armin thinks,  _even this stupid king can look peaceful whilst he sleeps_. 

“Armin,” Eren then moans and Armin wonders if he’s waking up but when Eren’s face contorts slightly and then exhales gently, the advisor figures otherwise. “Armin,” he whispers again and Armin finds himself rooted to the spot, face heating up. How long had he loved his king? Too long to remember, perhaps.  

“Eren, it’s time to wake up,” Armin says, leaning down and shaking the king gently. His first thought had been to use his vessel weapon to scare the king awake but his heart was a little softer now, caught up against his feelings for Eren and the torn agenda of being his trusted advisor.

“Armin,” Eren says again and attaches his arms around his advisor’s neck pulling him close. “Sleep with me.” 

 _So, you are awake_ , Armin thinks but, for some reason he won’t admit, lets himself get pulled into Eren’s warm body and cuddles up closely. He smells like wine and the distinct smell of lavender. Maybe sleeping a little while longer won’t be so bad if it means he can be close to his king. 


	5. Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> armin and eren share a sunday morning shower together
> 
> 1,021 words
> 
> a/n: warning, this is NSFW.

Armin groans as the hot water cascades over his aching muscles. Nothing felt better than a shower on a Sunday morning, still a little sleepy but eager to face the day cuddling with his husband in bed for a few more hours before Eren decides that a McDonald’s breakfast is the only way to start the day and they eat in bed, watching police shows and laughing at pathetic attempts at car chases.

Armin loves everything about Sundays, but what he loves more is the anticipation that runs through him when Eren opens the door to the bathroom, and begins to take off his pyjamas – he, too, is half asleep with his hair sticking out at odd angles. The shower curtain is pulled aside and Eren steps in behind Armin, sighing wistfully as he takes in the warm steam.

“ _Excuse_ me,” Armin teases, a playful smirk on his face as he looks over his shoulder at the intruder.

Eren’s eyes are half-closed and he stares at his husband with an equally playful smirk. “Something up?”

“Not with me,” Armin then says, taking a glance down to Eren’s lower half. It seemed it was more than _just_ Eren who was awake and at attention.

“Mmm,” Eren moans under his breath. “I was going to wait but… the idea of fucking you in the shower felt too good to pass up.”

“Fucking me in the shower, hm?” Armin repeats, and he’s facing Eren head on now. He’s shivering and it might be from the cold gust Eren had brought in with his entry or the way Eren’s staring down at him, so in love and so very much in the mood. “Now you mention it that does sound really, _really_ good.”

Eren doesn’t miss the way Armin’s voice drops an octave and it’s his turn to shiver now. He leans down and kisses Armin deeply, they taste of last night’s coffee and the ickiness of sleep but it’s comforting. He feels his husband’s wet arms wrap around his neck. The lukewarm water drips down the planes of his shoulders and he pushes forward so they’re both drenched in the waterfall. Armin’s blond hair sticks to his skin and Eren doesn’t think he’s ever seen him look so debauched in his life. Red cheeks, wide-blown eyes. God, it was sending Eren into a frenzy.

Armin tilts his head back, resting against the shower wall, and allows Eren to do what he does best. He feels his husband’s lips attach to his neck, sucking softly and Armin’s blaspheming under his breath when Eren’s hand wraps around his hardening cock. His tongue runs along Armin’s collarbone as Eren travels down further to the place he likes most – Armin’s nipples. He couldn’t explain it, not to anyone, not even to himself, but there was something about Armin’s nipples, rosy peaks topping pale soft skin, that just made him want more.

He runs his tongue over a bud and Armin cries out a little louder than he would like – _ah, that’s why_. His lips curl into a smile as he sucks gently, his hand coming up to roll the other, neglected, nub between his index and thumb. Armin’s shaking now, and he’s reaching for the shower head to find grounding. Unfortunately, when he grabs onto the showerhead, he pulls it forward and it’s just Eren feeling the brunt of the water now. Armin wants to apologise but the way the brunet looks up at him through wet hair, jade-green eyes ablaze with lust, makes all words leave Armin’s thought process.

“I’m going to suck your dick,” Eren whispers and Armin isn’t sure if it’s a threat or a promise but it leaves him feeling hot and cold all over. He buckles when Eren falls to his knees, hoisting Armin’s left leg over his shoulder. “Don’t hold back.”

Armin refuses to – within the confines of his shower, the world cannot hear him as he screams Eren’s name, begging for more. Eren licks up alongside his dick, peppering kisses along the base and moving down his thigh. He bites gently and Armin’s guttural cry is caught in the back of his throat. The brunet moves back up; running his top teeth along sensitive skin and Eren’s shaking a little, Armin can tell, as he moves back up to Armin’s cock. It twitches as Eren stares at it intensely and the two make eye contact for a split second before Armin tosses his head back, embarrassed.

The next thing Armin feels is the warm wetness of Eren’s mouth taking him whole and Armin is pretty much gone by this point, he’s crying, sobbing actually, as Eren bobs his head up and down, sucking, licking, grazing the head with his teeth ever so softly that Armin wonders if he’s imagining it.

It doesn’t take long for Armin to come undone, he’s gripping Eren’s soaking wet hair with the hand that isn’t grasping onto the showerhead for dear life, only being held up by Eren’s strong body. His breathing erratic, the only thing he can hear is the thunder of his heart beat and the obscene sounds Eren’s mouth is making. God, Eren’s mouth, Armin curses out loud and then Eren’s hand comes around to press into the bruise he made on the blond’s inner thigh. He comes with a shout of his husband’s name and slumps down along the wall, sliding onto his backside. He’s panting as his eyes focus on Eren’s face, he’s smirking and all Armin wants to do is kiss it off his face.

“Ten years of marriage and I can still make you look like that,” he says, leaning over to kiss Armin again. He can taste the saltiness on Eren’s tongue and Armin won’t lie, it’s a bit of a turn on – always has been. “Let’s move this to the bed; I _really_ wanna fuck you so bad right now.”

All Armin can do is nod in agreement, being picked up by Eren’s strong arms and carried out into the bedroom.

Yeah, Armin loves Sundays, but he loves lazy, morning sex with his husband a little more.


	6. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> armin has beautiful hands and eren falls in love
> 
> 581 words

He sees his hands first, as they reach for the same book. Eren finds himself trailing over the structure, how thin and lithe his fingers are and how soft his skin looks. There’s a cut along the outside of his thumb - cooking accident, maybe? Eren admires the way his fingers close around the spine of the book, index finger perched precisely on top as he pulls the book out gently. 

“Oh,” says the owner and Eren looks to his face. Just as he expected, as lovely as his hands. “Did you want this book?” 

Eren smiles and nods his head. “It’s alright,” he says, though, with a slight shrug. “You can take it.” 

The stranger’s hands are small and perfect and Eren almost falls completely. He realises how creepy it would sound to ask if he could paint this stranger’s hands but he feels like he needs to anyway. 

“Thank you,” the blond stranger says, bowing politely with an anxious smile before making his way to the cashier. Eren watches from the book shelf as the stranger hands over a paper note, fingers curling delicately over the change he receives in exchange. 

The stranger leaves and Eren decides to follow. 

“Sorry!” He says and the stranger turns around. “Sorry… I know this may sound weird but I’m a self-employed artist-” 

The stranger seems to brighten up. “Artist? What kind of artist?” 

“Just a portrait artist. Rich people commission me to make those obnoxious portraits for their mansions.” 

The stranger is grinning now and Eren feels himself relax. “That’s so cool. Art is one of my favourite things in the world,” the stranger says, motioning to the art book he just bought. 

“Sorry if this weird but your hands are really beautiful.” 

The stranger doesn’t seem too perturbed and instead raises a hand and stares at it. “Really?” 

“Really. Could I just… sketch them? As reference!” Eren explains and he’s fully expecting the blond man to beat him with the book, call him a perv, and run away. But, he doesn’t. Instead, the blond accepts and they decide to walk to a nearby café. 

Eren never goes anywhere without his sketchbook, tucked neatly into a tattered shoulder bag and this time he thanks himself for being prepared, it’s almost as if fate was telling him about this meeting. 

Eren sketches the man’s hands whilst they chat over coffee and Eren learns the owner’s name. Armin Arlert. His name is as pretty as his hands and face, Eren tells him and Armin blushes deeply, biting back a smile as he stares at his coffee. Eren sketches the way his fingers brush against the polystyrene cup and how his fingers curl in after being complimented. 

They sit in the café for an hour or two before Armin excuses himself, saying he has a work shift to get to within the next hour and Eren is sad to see him go. 

“Maybe,” Armin then says. “We can meet up again and you can sketch more than just my hands?” 

Eren feels his heart race. Was Armin proposing a date? “S-sure!” Eren fights down the excitement bubbling in his chest as they exchange phone numbers. 

They meet again a few times before Armin asks Eren on a proper date. One date turned into a few which fell into a comfortable relationship and Eren finds himself lucky, kissing Armin’s fingers gently as they make love. Eren discovers Armin’s soul is just as beautiful as his hands.


	7. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> at the age of 21, eren discovers just what home truly feels like
> 
> 1,168 words
> 
> a/n: and that's a wrap! thanks for all the support on here and on tumblr. i hope you enjoyed this first of many mini series of fics! thanks to hillvalleycat and peachymess for hosting such an awesome event, it was so much fun.  
> my tumblr is fish-tales.tumblr.com, don't hesitate to drop by and say hello! better yet, i'm taking prompts for today so take advantage of that if you want to!  
> thanks again, and i'll see you soon   
> fish x

Eren’s 15 when he runs away from home after an argument with his parents. He sits on the swing set occupying the playground opposite his old school and stays there until the sun begins to dip below the school and his adopted sister comes to get him.  

“Come home,” she says with an outstretched hand and Eren takes it, grumbling under his breath as they walk back to their shared house together. Home. It never felt like home. 

Eren’s 17 when he gets his driver’s license and takes a solo road trip across the country. He befriends the locals and meets a beautiful blonde girl with cold blue eyes. He loses his virginity in the backseat of his second-hand truck over the view of a retreating ocean, and then asks her to stay for a little while longer when she makes a move to leave straight after. 

“I have to go home,” she says and Eren lets her go. She waves softly before walking away and Eren rests his head against the steering wheel. At least, she had a home to go to. 

Eren’s 20 when he finally gets accepted to his dream university to do sport science. He leaves without his parents’ aid, packing everything into his beat-up truck and moves into a shared dorm with a few other guys. One with chestnut brown hair and a snarky attitude that rubs Eren the wrong way when they first meet, another one has a shaved head and a cute girlfriend with brown hair and the appetite of a giant. None of his flatmates interest Eren all that much until he meets the occupant of the room beside his. 

He’s a little shorter than Eren with long blond hair pulled into a ponytail and for a second Eren thinks he’s imagining things. But then, the boy turns around and reveals a kind face with dazzling blue eyes and Eren instantly falls for him.  

“I’m Armin,” the boy introduces himself and Eren returns the favour. He and Armin become close friends over the year they live together and end up moving to a student studio flat in the city centre together the next year. Just the two of them. They’re the best of friends and polar opposites. Armin is all sunshine and smiles whilst Eren’s cold stares and grumbles under his breath. Armin is kind hearted and sweet, and Eren falls hopelessly for him a little more each day. 

They also decide to plan a road trip together to take over Christmas. Armin had never seen snow before and Eren just wanted to spend Christmas with the one he loved. However, Armin ends up getting into a relationship with a boy called Marco from his literature class a few months into their second year. They spend all of their time together, curled up on Eren’s sofa, eating the dinner Eren had left for Armin. They hadn’t even been dating a month before Marco’s staying over nearly every night and Eren curses the thin walls in the studio apartment. Armin and Marco are pretty much living together and it pisses Eren off. And, then he overhears Christmas plans between the two of them, and his heart sinks.

Their road trip, undoubtedly, falls through. 

“I’m sorry,” Armin says when Eren brings it up. “But, I’m spending Christmas with Marco and his family. Couldn’t you just go home?” 

Eren holes himself up in his room for the rest of the semester and Armin tries his hardest to get Eren to be social again. He only emerges when he’s certain Armin isn’t around and ducks behind his bedroom door if he can hear the light footsteps of his roommate behind him. Autumn ends and Christmas rolls around quicker than Eren would’ve liked and he can hear Armin dragging a suitcase behind him on the day he’s supposed to leave for the holidays. He’s staying for the whole three weeks, Eren assumes, and becomes even grumpier. 

“Eren, come on. I just want to say goodbye to you,” Armin pleads outside Eren’s door. “Marco’ll be here in a few minutes. I _miss_ you, Eren.” 

“Just piss off, Armin,” Eren spits out. “Go spend your _happy little Christmas_ with your _perfect little boyfriend_.” 

He knows he’s being harsh and Armin’s shaky sigh shows that. “Alright, Eren… I’ll see you in a few weeks.” 

The front door slams shut a few minutes later and Eren is left alone in their apartment.  

Mikasa calls on Christmas to wish him happy holidays and Eren returns it half-heartedly. Mikasa then asks what’s ailing him and Eren blurts everything out easily. 

“Maybe you should be honest with your feelings to Armin?” She offers. “Will you be coming home at all this holiday?” 

Eren says no and hangs up on his sister a few moments later. She calls back an hour later with the intention of getting her brother to speak to their mother but Eren ignores the call. He texts her back half an hour later saying he’d fallen asleep. He receives no response.

Armin comes home a few weeks after and Eren is sat in the kitchen, waiting for him. 

“Oh, Eren, you must be feeling better,” Armin says, happy to see his best friend out of his room. “How was Christmas?” 

“Fine,” he replies curtly and doesn’t miss the frown that fleets across Armin’s face. “Yours?” 

“Ah… Marco and I broke up after New Year’s…” Armin responds honestly. “He asked if I wanted to move in with him and I said this was all moving too fast and then then he brought you up and I-“ 

“He brought me up?” Eren asks, confused. “Why me?” 

Armin fidgets, his face turning red and Eren first assumes it’s because of the cold weather outside but then remembers that it doesn’t get that cold in Trost. “It’s because he knows I like you.” 

Eren feels floored and his heart slams against his ribcage. _What_? 

“ _What_?” 

“I know, I know,” Armin sighs, taking a seat beside Eren. “I shouldn’t like you, we’re best friends, and it’s complicated. But… I’ve always liked you, Eren.” 

Eren feels elated and takes Armin’s hand with his own. “I like you too, Armin! I like you so much and I’m sorry I was such a jerk to you. I’m sorry I let my jealousy get the better of me. I’m _so sorry_.” 

Armin smiles, his eyes glistening and Eren thinks he might cry but instead Armin just throws his arms around the elder’s neck and pulls him into a kiss. “I’m so happy,” Armin whispers against Eren’s lips. “I’m so happy.” 

Eren’s 21 when he discovers what home feels like. It’s walking in through the front door and being greeted by the one he loves dearly. It’s waking up in the morning to see his love’s face sleeping peacefully beside him. Home, for Eren, is the way Armin looks at him like he’s never been so hard in love. Home, for Eren, is everything Armin embodies, mind and soul. 


End file.
